KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Friday (Aug 6) that 31 lawmakers from the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) alliance will continue backing the government until a confidence vote is held in early September.
“Our stance is that we will heed the King’s decree for the current government to continue its administration, and that its legitimacy will be tested in Parliament,” Datuk Seri Ismail told a news conference.
His list of the 31 lawmakers, however, included at least three Umno MPs who were present with Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Tuesday when he announced that the party was withdrawing its support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin's government, depriving it of majority backing in Parliament.
Umno MPs make up 38 of BN’s 42 lawmakers.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional pact was estimated by analysts to hold a slim majority of 113 of the 222 seats in Parliament before Umno’s move. It is now left with at most 104 MPs, far short of a simple majority.
But Mr Muhyiddin, in his audience on Wednesday with Malaysia's King, Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah, had said he still commanded the confidence of the Lower House. He said the King had agreed to his proposal to submit himself to a confidence vote when Parliament next convenes on Sept 6.
Mr Ismail, who is also an Umno vice-president, said at the press conference on Friday that the stand taken by the 31 MPs is in line with the King's wishes.
Zahid had warned earlier this week that there would be “consequences” for Mr Ismail breaking ranks with the party to back Mr Muhyiddin, after Mr Ismail appeared alongside the Premier during a live telecast on Wednesday.
“There will be consequences for his appearance (with Muhyiddin), where he is not supporting the party’s decision. I will leave it to the disciplinary board,” Zahid was quoted as saying by The Vibes news site on Wednesday.
Separately, Mr Muhyiddin told reporters in Johor on Friday that he remained confident that he still commands majority support.
“To solve this matter, we have to bring it to Parliament. I am not afraid or worried as I am confident of having the majority,” he was quoted as saying by The Star daily.
He added that any change in government could affect efforts in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Can the country face such problems if any reshuffling or changes lead to a chaotic political situation? It could affect the National Recovery Plan and any measures being taken such as the vaccination process and so on,” he said, referring to the country’s pandemic exit plan.
Opposition lawmakers from the Pakatan Harapan pact insisted on Thursday that the Prime Minister had misled the King about the level of support he enjoys and that a confidence vote should be held as soon as next Monday.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMidGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnN0cmFpdHN0aW1lcy5jb20vYXNpYS9zZS1hc2lhLzMxLW1wcy1mcm9tLXVtbm8tbGVkLWJuLXJlaXRlcmF0ZS1zdXBwb3J0LWZvci1tYWxheXNpYS1wbS1tdWh5aWRkaW4teWFzc2lu0gEA?oc=5
2021-08-06 08:24:33Z
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